With Apple recently entering the hybrid workstation market with its own iPad Pro, many observers are asking if the Cupertino-based company will be focusing more on 2-in-1 convertible workhorses. Particularly with the 2016 editions of the MacBook remaining unconfirmed, it seems that Apple will really build up its mobile workstation line around the iPad Pro.
However, how would the iPad Pro compare against its own mobile workstation cousin, the current MacBook?
Design
In terms of design, the iPad Pro has the distinct advantage of being more mobile than the Apple laptop iteration, considering that it is a tablet. Without its keyboard dock, the largest iPad to date measures bigger than the MacBook, at least in surface area. In addition, the tablet also weighs lighter than the laptop, but the weight is only of the iPad Pro itself, without attachments like a keyboard dock. This makes the new iPad lighter by at least 23 percent than the 2015 MacBook, which weighs 920 grams.
Most Apple products only differ in form factor, size and weight. For the build, however, the Cupertino-based company has been consistent with a uniform build for all its lineups, and it shows in both the iPad Pro and 2015 MacBook. The two devices are solidly housed in an aluminum frame, and have the same three color options.
Software and input
For Apple fans, what tasks they have on hand will represent a big factor in deciding which iteration to go for. While the iPad Pro can be considered more mobile and portable than a laptop, users who are already familiar with a desktop environment may feel uncomfortable doing intensive tasks with iOS 9. The 2015 MacBook, on the other hand, has been updated with the latest OS X El Capitan.
However, the iPad Pro has an added advantage when it comes to versatile input – due to its touchscreen display, it has added stylus support in the Apple Pencil accessory. This makes the iPad Pro a better workstation for graphics-intensive tasks, which can be quite difficult to adjust to in a traditional, keyboard-and-trackpad setup of the 2015 MacBook.
